====== 04. Encounter Conditions ======

Some encounters have special conditions or rules that make it harder for
the PCs to defeat the monsters. Bear in mind that the monsters don't
want to die; they will do everything in their power to stay alive. They
fight from vantage points; they ambush the PCs when they aren't looking;
they use numbers to their advantage; and they flee or surrender
when death is imminent.

None of the monsters in this dungeon are stupid. Be prepared to kick
the PCs around a little until they learn this. And if that doesn't work, add
a few Encounter Conditions of your own.

Encounter Conditions listed in [brackets] are nor automatic. Some
are optional, while others are contingent upon something in the
encounter. Read the Encounter thoroughly to note the difference.

**Ambush**: The monsters gain a +4 circumstance bonus to all Hide and
Move Silently skill checks prior to Initiative.

**Ambush (darkness)**: In addition to Ambush, the monsters attack all
light sources at first from a distance and then attack the PCs from darkness,
taking advantage of their darkvision. Darkness is explained fully in
the //Dungeon Master's Guide//.

**Bog**: Like Flooded (see below), a bog prohibits movement and makes
a creature's high Dexterity useless. Strength, not speed, saves you in
these situations. Every creature's Dexterity modifier is reduced by -3. If
this reduces the Dexterity bonus to 0 or less, the creature is considered
flat-footed. In addition, movement is halved (minimum 5 ft.) and no one
can take a free 5-foot step. Torches have a 50% chance of guttering out in
the damp air. If a PC falls into the bog, his torch automatically goes out.

**Concealment**: The monsters in the Room gain the benefits of concealment
(hiding in shadows, etc.), unless they are adjacent to a PC. Concealment confers a miss chance of 20% on any successful attack
against the monster or NPC.

**Concealment (total)**: The monsters in the Room gain the benefits of
total concealment (hiding in shadows, etc.), unless they are adjacent to a
PC. Total concealment confers a miss chance of 50% on any successful
attack against the monster or NPC.

**Cover**: The monsters in this Room maintain cover (they push over a
table, stand behind barrels, etc.), unless they are adjacent to a PC. Cover
grants a number of benefits per the //Player's Handbook//, including bonuses
on Reflex saves,  Hide checks, and AC.

**Cover (soft)**: As Cover, but soft cover provides no bonus to Reflex saves.

**Cover (total)**: As Cover, but the benefits are total.

**Cursed X**: Something isn't right about this Room. Its inhabitants are
slightly unhinged or its walls seem to sag with an undefinable sadness.
The longer PCs spend in this Room, the harder it is for them to leave.
Increase the DC of all Willpower saves by X while in this Room. Monsters
or PCs already suffering from madness do not suffer this penalty.

**Deep Darkness**: This Room is cast in perpetual magical darkness
that cannot be dispelled. Torches and lanterns give off 1/2 their normal
light and magical light requires a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell
level) or it is extinguished.

**Deep Silence**: This Room is cast in perpetual magical silence that
cannot be dispelled. Listen checks are altogether impossible, and spellcasters
cannot cast spells requiring a Verbal component.

**Desecration X**: This encounter takes place in a desecrated Room. X
is the turn resistance all undead gain against turn attempts.

**Diseased (Name) X**: For every minute the PCs spend in this Room,
they must succeed at a DC X Fortitude save or contract the named disease.
Even diseases that normally are only contracted through ingestion
or injury can be contracted in this Room.

**Distracting Noises X**: There are noises in the darkness that cannot
be explained. Nonetheless, they can affect the wandering minds of PCs.
Similar to Echoes, this Room also affects Willpower and Reflex saves, by
imposing a penalty equal to X. In addition, Concentration and Listen
checks suffer a penalty equal to X. Like Haunted (see below), rest is nearly
impossible here.

**Distracting Visions X**: Something is waiting in the darkness, or the
shadows play strangely on the walls. While in this Room, the PCs suffer
a penalty to their Initiative checks equal to X. In addition, all Attacks of
Opportunity suffer a penalty to the attack roll equal to X. Like Haunted
(see below), rest is nearly impossible here.

**Drafty**: Lanterns (other than hooded lanterns), and torches have a
50% of being extinguished, casting the PCs into darkness. Darkness is
explained fully in the //Dungeon Master's Guide//.

**Echoes X**: A great deal of noise and distraction increases the DC of
all Listen checks by X.

**Extreme Cold**: Anyone remaining in this Room for more than 1
minute begins to suffer the effects of cold, per the //Dungeon Master's
Guide//. Casting spells in the cold is difficult: teeth chatter and fingers
shake. For every spell cast in this Room, the caster must succeed at a
Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) or the spell is lost. The cold
can be magical or natural. DMs can increase or decrease the severity of
the cold by requiring Fortitude saves more or less often.

**Extreme Heat**: Anyone remaining in this Room for more than 1
minute, begins to suffer the effects of heat, per the //Dungeon Master's
Guide//. PCs in medium or heavy armor cannot take a charge action in
extreme heat. The heat can be magical or otherwise,

**Fear X**: An inexplicable pallor of evil permeates this Room. PCs that
fail at a Willpower save (DC equal to X) are shaken until they leave the
Room, plus Xd6 minutes afterwards. Shaken PCs suffer a -2 morale
penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

**Fearless**: The monsters and NPCs here cannot be intimidated
or cajoled, and do not back down from any fights. Undead cannot be
turned. Instead, they suffer damage equal to the character level of the
cleric on a successful turn attempt.

**Flooded**: These Rooms have become flooded by a high water table or
some magical effect. Every creature's Dexterity bonus is reduced by -2.
If this reduces the Dexterity bonus to 0 or less, the creature is considered
flat-footed. In addition, movement is halved (minimum 5 ft.) and no one
can take a free 5-foot step. Torches have a 50% chance of guttering out in
the damp air. If a PC falls into the water, his torch automatically goes out.

**Fog X**: Fog reduces visibility in the Room (except darkvision) to X ft.
Creatures up to X ft. away have concealment (20%). Beyond that,
creatures have total concealment (50%).

**Hallowed X**: This Room is holy. Clerics (and paladins) gain a bonus
to all Charisma-based skill checks (including turn attempts), equal to X,
but suffer a penalty of -X on rebuke attempts.

**Haunted**: Rest is impossible. Spells cannot be memorized, meditation
doesn't work. and the benefits of natural healing are cut in half.

**Hazardous Footing X**: The floor is covered in debris, rocks, glass,
or sharp objects, or otherwise impedes movement. PCs moving faster
than 1/2 speed across Hazardous Footing must succeed at a DC X Reflex
save or fall to the ground suffering 1d4+1 points of damage from
the debris. No one can take a free 5-foot step on Hazardous Footing.
Tiny or smaller creatures gain a +6 competence bonus on this save.

**Invisible**: For some magical reason, the monsters in the Room gain
the benefits of invisibility, until they perform an action (attacking, casting
a spell, etc.) that removes this benefit. In addition to its other benefits,
invisibility works as Total Concealment, conferring a miss chance of
50% on any successful attack against the monster or NPC.

**Negative Energy**: Undead heal 1 hit point per hour in this Room.
PCs suffer 1 hit point per minute in this Room.

**Poor Footing X**: All monsters and PCs suffer a penalty to their base
attack equal to X unless they succeed at a Reflex save (DC 10 + X).

**Positive Energy**: PCs heal 1 hit point per hour in this Room. Undead
suffer 1 hit point of damage per minute in this Room.

**Safe**: This Room is generally safe and might be a good place to rest.
Reduce the chance of an encounter here to 1/6th the normal rate of
Random Encounters for the Section (e.g. if Random Encounters are
rolled every hour, they are rolled every 6 hours in this Room).

**Smoke**: The air in this Room is thick with an unbreathable smoke,
either from magic use or a recent fire. A character who breathes smoke
must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or
spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for 2
consecutive rounds takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Many creatures
that do not breathe (demons, outsiders, etc.) use Smoke to their advantage.

**Spell Resistance X**: This Room is guarded by wards and spells that dispel
all magic cast within it. Treat all occupants as having Spell Resistance
equal to X. This does not stack with a creature's inherent Spell Resistance,
but instead replaces it, if X is greater. In many cases, the creature living in
the Room is unaffected by the Spell Resistance when casting at the PCs.

**Stagnant Air**: The air is this Room is nearly unbreathable, either from
rot, decay, or the stench of a rank beast. A character who breathes stagnant
air must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check)
or spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for 2
consecutive rounds becomes nauseated. Many creatures that do not
breathe (demons, outsiders, etc.) use Stagnant Air to their advantage.

**Submerged**: The Room is completely underwater and the PCs must
swim across it. The PCs must have some way to breathe water to remain
in this Room, or they will begin to drown.

**Tremors X**: A tremor shakes the Dungeon, dropping stones on
the PCs. PCs must succeed at a DC X Reflex save or suffer 2d6 points
of damage at a random point in the Encounter.

**Unhallowed X**: This Room is unholy. Clerics (and paladins) suffer
a penalty to all Charisma-based skill checks (including turn attempts)
equal to X, but gain a +X bonus to rebuke attempts.
